Hoth Reconciliation?
by Correlian76
Summary: A short sequence in between luke's rescue and the attack on Hoth. Han and Leia continue to struggle with their feelings.


The medical droid turned from the twitching figure in the bacta tank.  
"Commander Skywalker's condition is now stable. He is out of danger"  
A collective sigh of relief washed across two humans, a wookie and something akin to it issued forth in beeps and whistles from the stalwart astromech droid.  
Han, shivered involuntarily at the memory of the last 12 hours.  
"I've had it with this Ice Cube" he thought to himself as he made to leave the surgery. As he left he glanced at Leia who was looking at him steadily, her face unreadable.  
"Absolutely done!" he thought as he strode down the rough hewn ice corridor toward his ship, the one reliable truth in his life. She was easy enough to understand.  
For the next 2 hours he buried himself in the heart of the Falcon, there was so much macro fusing to do to the Motivator couplings if she was ever going to achieve lightspeed for a sustained period again.  
"You need a proper overhaul is all" he said to no-one "I'll get this debt paid, then go somewhere and fix you up, somewhere warm"  
"You talk to your ship a lot don't you?" said a quietly sardonic voice from the doorway.  
Han whirled around to see a familiar diminutive figure standing with her arms folded and eyebrows raised.  
He wasn't going to take the bait. He turned away again shooting over his shoulder:  
"Sure, why not, she makes more sense to me than most"  
Leia considered this for a second, kicking at a rivet on the deck.  
"I didn't come here to fight, I just wanted to.."  
"What?" Han swung around again mirroring her posture, arms crossed.  
Leia frowned " I just wanted to thank you for saving Luke, I dread to think what might have happened if you hadn't reached him in time. I was worried"  
Han tilted his head, adopting a wry look of understanding:  
"About Luke?"  
Leia's face flushed. Why did he always have to do this. She was trying wasn't she. "Of course, about Luke...and you"  
A slow cocky smile broke the surface of the smuggler's handsome face.  
"Why Princess, I am flattered that you found a moment in your busy schedule to worry about me too. There is hope for you yet."  
Leia's face hardened, she turned then half turned back to him,  
"You're impossible, you won't even let me thank you without seeing an opportunity to..."  
She went to leave. Han's smile faded and his brow furrowed. This was new territory.  
"Wait, Leia" The princess paused. He had used her name. He never used her name. It was so much easier for him to taunt her with her title.  
"Listen, I'm sorry, it's a bad reflex, you know?" "No, I don't" she wasn't about to give any ground though he was close to her now and that proximity affected her. Did he have to look so directly at her?  
"Hey, thank you" the words came out with a sincerity that surprised even him.  
Feeling the moment was still up for grabs, he continued.  
"You know, it's OK to admit it" "Admit what" she leaned back against the bulkhead.  
"That you're not just interested in making up the numbers around here, that you do care?"  
"Of course I care" she said through gritted teeth before sighing "but look around you, they all look to me,  
to lead, to make the next move"  
"That's all very noble your highness" Han stepped closer, placing his hands on his hips, "but when do you get to enjoy the freedom you're so busy ensuring for everyone else?"  
Leia looked up at him, this rapscallion of the galaxy, so quick with a quip and able to get under her skin with nothing but a cocky smirk. Here he was standing close enough for her to smell the grease on his jacket and looking at her steadfastly with concern, almost tenderness.  
She suddenly realised she had been staring at him for a whole minute. Blinking she turned away to regain her composure.  
"Well you've only got you to care about, so I wouldn't expect you to understand" she regretted the words as soon as she uttered them.  
Han looked down at his boots and ran a hand through his unruly mop of dark hair "You're right" he turned and moved back to the hold, saying over his shoulder "how could I possibly understand"  
Leia moved to reply but thought better of it and strode down the access ramp into the gathering chill of the ice hangar.  
Han peered back through the hatch, a mixture of irritation and regret playing across his face.  
Better off out of this mess, he thought. Away from here. Away from her.  
Almost convinced, he angrily grabbed the macro fuser and headed back to the engine bay.


End file.
